Betrayal
Hearing Barriss Offee's somewhat naive question, the two actors exchanged a glance and replied helplessly, "That's a matter for those important people... we don't understand."
They were both worldly, tactful people. In a situation like this, they naturally did not dare comment on such matters.
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli also exchanged a glance, their expressions equally helpless. Malastare's situation had actually been made abundantly clear more than a decade ago, during the Battle of Malastare Canyon, which had erupted over the proposed blockade of Malastare.
Although the planet produced high-quality gaseous fuel and could manufacture podracer engines, it was in truth merely a vassal of the Corporate Alliance. The Corporate Alliance controlled nearly all resource extraction and industrial production on the planet, reducing Malastare to a source of raw materials and a processing plant for finished goods. It had no independent industrial system of its own. Without the Corporate Alliance, it would struggle even to sustain itself.
On top of that, the conflict between the Gran and the Dagg made the planet's situation even more difficult.
Yet the Galactic Republic's actions had been utterly chilling. In the struggle between the Gran and the Dagg, it had openly taken the Gran's side. Simply because the Gran possessed greater political influence, siding with them made it easier to resolve the issue—at least on the surface.
This was not the first time the Galactic Republic had done such a thing. During the war between the Caladanians and the Yamrii, the Republic had acted the same way.
Fighting the strong required enormous effort, while joining the strong in oppressing the weak was much easier. It could all be settled in a few days.
The same had been true during the later Battle of Malastare Canyon. The Corporate Alliance had blockaded the planet.